Anything ‘last’ can be sad, emotional or just plain happy

November 16, 2008

That happens to me so often, however, it doesn't carry the sting it used to - until, that is, I learned several people thought I'd done wrong saying I was disappointed with not making the full $8,000 we needed at the recent fundraising party for the thermal imaging camera for the Vincent Volunteer Fire Department.

By that time, we had about $5,800. Oh, I WAS happy. And proud that so many people contributed time, money and talent to the cause. If I offended anyone by not exclaiming that more forcefully, forgive me. I was disappointed, too, but a thousand times more thrilled with what we accomplished.

And a new twist has shoved that happiness further uphill.

Members of the Vincent Lions Club voted recently to contribute the proceeds of today's chili and soup dinner out at the community hall to the camera fund. What a wonderful thing that is.

Soup will be served from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the hall. Tickets are $7 for adults and $3 for children ages 5 to 12.

But, as wonderful as that is, we still will likely be $700, give or take, short of goal.

I'm not complaining, by any means, just trying to keep the fund in people's minds so the next time bills are paid or letters sent, something little would be slipped into an envelope and sent to the fund at First State Bank, 104 Arthur St., Vincent IA 50594.

Then this could be the last time I mentioned it.

Lasts can be good. They can be sad, too.

When Tom Steinkoenig's Big Band played at Dance for a Cure on Nov. 8 at Shimkat Motor Co., my friend Dick Dale sang and played his saxophone. Nothing makes me feel more like a young girl than hearing him, since he's been my favorite performer since I saw him on the Lawrence Welk show years ago.

I spent some time talking with Dick and his wife, Marguerite, before the show, and he said it's getting harder and harder to get his voice in shape for performing, so he's likely calling that show his last. Oh, that's the saddest thing I ever heard. Not for him, of course, but for me. Thank God I've got two of his CDs. Do they ever wear out?

Dance for a Cure donated every cent made that night - more than $1,700 - to cancer research in honor of Steinkoenig's teenage niece, Chelsea Worcester, who died in California of cancer just hours after the band stopped playing.

Some sad endings aren't nearly as devastating or emotional as cancer deaths, but they affect people just the same.

After the Professional Bull Riders national finals short round on Nov. 9 - the championship round with the top 15 out of 45 riders - retirement pulled two of the world's best riders off the circuit. Justin McBride, a two-time world champion, and Adriano Moraes, a three-time world champ, both gave up the ghost. McBride went with a smile; Moraes unable to say anything but "I'll miss it. I'll miss it. I'm a bull rider."

The man's 38 years old, so I'm betting he's not gonna miss the head-over-tail spins as he's tossed off a bull or miss the arm-wrenching drag across the arena if he gets hung up. For sure he'll miss the adrenaline rush.

He likely won't miss the ride nearly as much as those of us who love to watch will miss it. That should make him happy.